Míshásta Pantheon
The Míshásta Pantheon are the deities of the Western Continent, particularly the Lanista League of States. The pantheon is comprised of the goddesses Thena, Cera, and Eagla, and the gods Vvarnn, Grá, and Shumisen. They have been known to grant [http://reddits-world.wikia.com/wiki/Divine_Favoritism blessings] to their followers and champions. The Deities Cera Cera is the goddess of the stars, and knows the destiny of all her worshipers. Many accociate Cera with knowledge, both common, uncommon, and even forbidden. One of the denominations followers her as a patron. She is tall and thin, with long silver hair down to her feet. Eagla Eagla is the goddess of sorrow and fear. At her command lies all that bring sadness and pain to mortals- creatures, disease, famine, drought, and sometimes evil thoughts are linked to her. She appears as a short woman of a voluptuous build. Grá Grá ''is the head deity of the pantheon. He is the head of all the other deities, as made by the Precursors. He was charged at birth to oversee the chaos of the world and keep balance amongst his kin and those who worshiped them. He was then granted the wisdom of age and the strength of youth, and rocked the Precursors into a deep sleep. He longs to make everyone in his reach safe from the ills of the mortal world, and sometimes comes off as overprotective. He is large, strong, and jovial, but old. '''Shumisen' The god of death, Shumisen rules the lands of the dead and governs the activities of souls. Souls lost in the wake of battle are sent to meet Vvarnn for a chance to continue fighting by being reborn into the world. Those finding themselves the victims of murder are sent to study under Cera, to gain wisdom in the next life. Otherwise, Shumisen uses the materials of the dead (bones, dirt, sinew) to expand the kingdom of death over the infinite Void. Although the Void is endless, Shumisen continues to have land built to give the endless influx of souls a place to call home. He stands at ten feet tall, and wears the bones of the earth to mask his frightening visage. Thena Thena is the goddess of the land, and is said to fertilize the seeds and protect them from winters grasp. It she who decides what stones and metals yield or not, and if the land can bear the fruits of labor. One of the denominations follow her as their patron. She is of healthy weight with wide hips and long blond hair depicted as being woven with flowers. Vvarnn The enigmatic Vvarnn is the god of destruction, but it is said he has destroyed nothing. He is the master of war and his divine favor on mortals usually grants them leadership and prowess in battle, but he is said to be fickle and grant that blessing to many. When conflict is brought to the gods, he is the first to raise his swords. Vvarnn also holds double duty as the guard of the Temple of the Gods, alongside his hounds Ocras (hunger) and Beir (fetch). He appears as a suit of blackened armor surrounded by ten swords. History During the great diaspora south, many refugees continued passed Féarthailte in hopes of finding a home farther away from the chaotic and destructive north. However, many pilgrims died on the harsh, uninhabited lands. Legend has it the remaining pilgrims reached the edge of the desert, and fell into despair. It was then Thena journeyed with her siblings to the harsh desert. Thena and Gra gave them the seeds and soil for crops, while Vvarnn gave them the spears and shields to protect their sheep. Shumisen and Eagla withheld the touches of death and disease, granting the people a long life, while Cera wrote them books. After a season, the deities returned home. Eternally grateful, Gaineamh was founded, where proper respect would be paid to the Míshásta Pantheon for all times. Today, it is the religious mecca of the Míshásta Pantheon, and worshipers from around the world come to pay tribute. Denominations The three major denominations are Thenism, Vvarnnism, and Cerisism. All denominations follow the will of Grá, as he is the lord of the deities. A great temple was constructed to all the deities in Gaineamh. Thenism Thenism follows a worship of Thena and Shumisen through a cycle of life, death, and rebirth in the natural world. In this context, Grá acts as a grandfather who simply watches, while all the deities listen to the wisdom of Cera regarding their actions. This is the most widely worshiped denomination, with abundances of small 'stone temples' in nearly every city. Vvarnism Vvarnism centers around the pleas to Vvarnn and Eagla to be merciful. Many people fight for them to be their champions and have their requests adhered to above others. Here, Grá is depicted as a 'tough love' parental figure who wants the people to become strong enough to stand on their own. Stone Tower Shrine in Sliabh is the only major temple to Vvarnism outside of Gaineamh. Cerisism Cerisism arose after the Pogol War. It follows that Cera, as the goddess of the stars, is the real writer of fate. Grá is still adhered to and respected, but other gods less so. A great cathedral, Eastminster, was constructed to her in Fragarach.